Metering panel-board.



No. 850,174. PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

A. 0. MGWILLIAMS. METERING PANEL BOARD.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 19, 1906.

ARTHUR C. MOWILLIA'MS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METERING PANEL-"BOARD- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 19, 1806. Serial No. 312.591.

Patented April 16, 1907.

. 1'0 will whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. MoWIL- LIAMS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State panel-boardby means of which any load-circuit or any number ofload-circuits may bethrown onto any meter by the act of merely connecting a short loose wireor other re movable conductor to two closely-associated contact-pointson the board and to render it throughout the several views.

"ppssible that this may be done without the necessity of having thedifferent loose conductors cross each other. I attain this oldject bythe apparatus shown in the accompanymg drawings, in which F1 ure 1 is afront view of the board, show ,ing t e permanent Connections thereonand,

also showing one torn orary or removable conductirigwvire, where y acertain load-circuit is thrown onto a certain meter-circuit. Fig. 2 is asectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1, showing the preferred form ofcontactpiece or binding-stud.

Similar letters refer to similar parts The parts are mounted upon aboard a, which consists of marble, slate, or other suitable insulatingmaterial.

In the deslgn here shown the board. is adapted for a three-wire systemof electrical distribution, and three main bus-bars Z), c, and d arepermanently mounted upon the board. Permanentl connected to the out sidebus-bars l2 and are meter-terminals e arranged in pairs, one terminal. 6of each pair being permanently connected to one of the outside bars I)or d, and the other terminal f of each. air bein ermanentlv connected toone of t e parall e conductor-bars g, which. latter arepreferably-mounted on the back o the board and for convenience may bedesignated by numbcr-platcsg, running in the 1contact-piecc for each bar9.

present instance from 1 to 6, as shown in Fig. 1. For convenience alsoit is desirable to place corresponding plates 6 adjacent to the pairs ofmeter-terminals e In the present three-wire design bus-bar c is neutraland by preference extends along the board in a line coincident with themedian line of the apparatus, so as to pass between the double row ofload-terminals h *5, arranged on either side thereof. One'terminal h ofeach pair of the load-terminals is permanently connected, preferablybymeans of a conductor-bar h, to-bus-bar p, and the other terminal ihas, a binding-post t, by means of which a removable conductorsuch, forexample, a loose'wire-may be detachably attached. For reasons which willhereinafter more fully appear I prefer to so arrange bars h that theload-terminals will occur in groups of four pairs in a group, theterminals 2 being on the outside of the group and the terminals i on theinside thereof, with. the

binding-posts t lying adjacent to each other,-

two on each side of the median line of the aparatus. It is desirablethat each pair of cad-terminals be appropriately designated by platesif, which in the present case are letteredzfrom A" to H.

The conductor-bars 9 above mentioned, which for the sake of symmetryshould be substantially parallel, extend transversely 'to the rows ofload-terminals h t,.so that each bar g will cross in frontofeathliinding-post t. Electrically connected to each bar 9 at a pointbetween two adjacent binding-posts iare secured contact-pieces thepreferred construction of which is shown in Fig. 2.. As thereillustrated, a stud j is electrically connected to bar g on the back ofthe board and projects through to the front, where it is secured by alock-nut A screw cap or nut 7' is provided for removably attaching aloose conductor, such as the wire it shown in Fig. 1.--

Studs of this kind are now in common use and are desirable; but anyother suitable form. of contact-piece may be employed which is capable;of completing the electrical connection between a bar g and a loose orremovable conductor or Wire, such as the wire In this arrangement,therefore, the conductor-barsg lie parallel to the median line of theapparatus and parallel to the rows of load-terminals h t, and there is arow of contact-pieces extending transverse to the median line, one

There is a contact-piece (in each bar 9 for each group of IIO fourloadterminals, and in the present inpairs of stationary load terminals;a bus-bar stance, in which there are eight pairs of loadterminals, therewill be two transverse rows of said contaet-pieces In operation when theelectrician desires to throw a given load-circuit onto any predeterminedmeter all he has to ,do is to supply a short piece of condu tingmaterial, such as loose Wire k, and attach it at one end to abinding-post 'i and at the other end to the proper contact-piece Forexample, suppose it is desired to throw load-terminals B ontometer-terminals.6, it is only necessary to run a short wire is from theB binding-post t" to the 6 contact piece or stud j, as shown in Fi 1. Inthis illustration the Worst possible case is shown, for here it isnecessary to bridge from the left row of load-terminals to the extremeright end of the row of contactfifieces. If it had been desired to throwload-terminals B onto meter-circuit 1 only a very short piece of wirewould have been required. It will be noted-and this is one of theadvantageous features of my board-that any one of the group of fourload-t-erminalsfor example, A, B, E, F---or'all of them maybe connectedto any meterterminal without the necessity of having any one loose wirecross anyoth'er loose Wire, and it will also be noted that the above maybe accomplished by means of' only a single transverse row ofcontact-pieces j for each group of tour load-terminals.

in Fig. 1 there is illustrated a meter and meter-circuit ;\l andload-circuit L, and in order to make the description of the deviceintelligible it has been necessary .to herein refer to one set ofterminals as meterter minals and to-the other set as load-terminals.It'is obvious, however, that there is no reason why the load-circuitcould-not be connected onto the terminals which I have termedmeter-termiiials" and the meter circuits upon the terminals termedloadterininals. The compactness of construet'ion and the universality orflexibility of the apparatus would in no degree be lessened if theso-called meter-terminals were. Incated'where the hard-terminals now areand the so-called load-termimils" were located where the meter-terminalsnow are, and I wish itto he understood that in interpreting the annexedclai. is the Words meter" and load" may be transposed without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

Although the present board is well adapted for a three-wire system ofelectrical distribution, it is equally well adapted for a two- Wiresystem, for it isobvious that the busbars I) and (l could both be at thesame potential as well as at'dillerent potentials.

VV-hat Lclairn as new, and desire to secure byLettersPatent, isr

1. In comb'natiorr-ya plurality ol" pairs of stationary meteet'erminals;a plurality of permanently connected to the first meterte1' mmal of eachpair; another bus-bar of different potential permanently connected tothe 'first load-termii'ial of each pair; a set of substantially parallelconductor-bars permanently connected to the second meter-terminal ofeach pair; removable conductors and contaet-picees connected to each oneof said parallel bars, there being one of said contact-- pieces adjacentto each pair of load-tern'iinals whereby any load-circuit may be thrownonto any meter-circuit by means of a single removable conductorconnected at one end to the second h'md-terminal of such load-cireuitand at the other end to the adjacent contact -piece leadingto the propermetercircuit. 2. In combination; a plurality of pairs of stationarymeter-terminals; a plurality of pairs of stationary load-terminalsfabus-bar permanently connected to the first meter -ter minal of eachpair: another bus-bar of different potential permanently connected t thefirst load-t1erminal of each pair; a set or substantially paralleleomluctor-bars pcrma nently connected to the second meter termi nal ofeach pair; a plurality of contact-pieces connected to each one of saidparallel bars, there being one of said contact-pieces adjacent. to eachpair of load-terminals and a Wire whereby any load-circuit may be thrownonto any meter-circuit by att aching said Wire at one end to the secondload-terminalof such load-circuit and at the other end to the adjacent.eontactpiece leading to the proper meter-circuit.

:5. In a panelboard, the combination of. a board of insulating material:a plurality of pairs of meter-terminals mounted thereon a plurality ofpairs of load-terminals also mounted on saidboard; a bus-bar on saidboard permanently connected'to the first meter-terminal of each pair; abus-beret difl'erent potential permanently connectedto the tirst.load-terminal of each pair; a set ofsuhst ant ially parallel condmotor-barspermanent ly connected to the second meter-terminal of each)air; removable conductors and hindingst\uls connected to each one of.said parallel bars, there being one ol said, studs adjacent to each pairof load-terminalswhereby any hmd-circuit may be thrown onto anymeter-circuit by means of a single removable conductor attached at oneend to the second load-terminal of suchdoad-circuit and at the other endto the adjacentbinding-stud lead ing to the proper meter-circuit. I

4. In a panel-board, the combination withloose conducting-wires of aboard of insulat mg material; a plurality of pairs of meter-H terminalsarranged in a row thereon; a plurahty of pairs of load-terminals in arow also mounted on said board; a bus bar on said board permanentlyconnected to the first meter-terminal of each pair; another bus-bar ofdifferent potential from the first one per- Inanently connected to thefirst load-terrninal of each pair a set of conductor-bars, permanentlyconnected to the second 1neter-terminal of'eaeh pair, said eonduetonbarsrun--' ning parallel. to the row of loz'td-terininals; and aplurality-of binding-studs permanently connected to each one of saidconductor-liars at intervals, there being one of said studs adj acent toeach pair of load-terminals Where-by any load-circuit may be thrown ontoany meter-circuit by means of a Single loose Wire attached at one end'to the second load-torminal of such load-circuit and at the other end'to the ad jacent binding-stud leading to the proper meter-circuit.

5. In a metering paneldward, the combinal ion with the board and meterand load busbars of different potentials permanently mounted thereon,and removable oonduetors 7c of parallel eonduetonbers permanentlymounted on said board; contact-pieces eon-- neoted thereto; a pluralityof pairs of meterterminals one terminal of each pair being connected toa meter busbar and the other to one of said parallel conductors; andloadterminals arranged in pairs in two rows each row lying on opposite sidesof a median line running parallel to said parallel conduct-0n bars oneload-terminal of each pair being connected to a load bus-bar and theother adapted to be electrically connected to a removable conductor, theload-terminals being arranged also in groups of four pairs to a grou oneach side of said median line, and the r00 load-terminals ol each grouplying nearest each. other with a row ol' the :ilorosaid contact-piecesbetween them, om mutantpieee for eaoh'parallvl coudurlor, whereby anyload-circuit may be thr wn onto any metenoirouit by merely ruuuiug'arouio'i'ulilo (f-UIltlllC-tOI' from a line load-terminal to our olthecontact-pieces in the nearest row wit houl such oonduclors ol'utrr-ssily (Tossing any i other removable conductors runningll) Slll'llrow of oonlaot-p1eovs 6. in a moterlnp panel-board, llu- ((llillllnationwith llK board rrmovablv roiulul'l rs 5 and motor and load bus-bars ol'llillPHlll po F ()l l tontials iermaumitlv mounted llwrvou parallel(romlueztor-lmrs pol'umuvull m unt-- (:(l on'liaok ol' tho board(-oulzirl-studs rom-- ing through said. board l'rom said purullvl 1 barsand adaptvd to have roiuoyulilu ('nlllllll tors dotarhabli' rouumxtodllu'svlo ou tlivl nected to a removable conductor, the loadterminalsbeing arranged also in groups oi. four mirs there being two pairs oneach side of said median line and the free load-terminal of each grouplying nearest each other with a row of the aforesaid studs between them,one stud. in said row for each parallel conductor, for the purposedescribed.

7. In a metering panel-board the combination with the board and parallelconductor-bars g and a removable conductor; of meter-terminals groupedin pairs and load terminals also grouped in pairs, one terminal with theproper sir e of a sup ily-cireuit, the remaining teri'ninals of one 'indbeing attached to said 'iarallel bars 9 and the remaining terminals ofthe other kind being attachable to said removable conductor and arranged in a row parallel to said bars g, said bars 9 being alsoattachable to the removable conductor, whereby any load-circuit may bethrown onto any meter-circuit by merely attaching one end of theremovable conductor to a proper terminal and bridgin-g'straight overacross the bars 9 until the proper one of them. is reached.

8. Ina metering panehhoard'the rombination with the board, a removableconductor, permanent bus-bars and permanent parrllvl no}iductor-hars ofmeter-terminals grouped .in pairs and load-terminals also grouped inpairs, one terminal e in every pair being permanently connected with theproper one of said bus-bars andthe remaining terminals f of one kindbeing perinauoutl v atiachml to said bars 9, and the re- "'umiuiugterminals 'i of the other hindboing altar-liable to said removableconductor and 3 arranged in a rmvparallol to said bars g,sa1d bars gbeing also altar-liable to said remov able conductorv S) in a mote-ringpanel-board the (zombil nation with the board, rmuovablo conductor,bus-bars and parallel bars of ulotvr-tormiu:ils and loml-trrmiuals, 01Hsidev ol" vai'h beiug vouluwtvd lo the proper busl ar,- the 1'(umiuiirrh-ido of one kind of terminal lit-ingrailarlu-d to said bars gand the remaining side ol' the ullu'l kind oi terminal being attachableIn said removable condor-tor, the lastuu-uliom-d l -rminals beingarranged in a row parallel in bars y, and said bars g being also nltzu'lmblo to said removable oonduutor.

the board. bus-burs and a removable conducand the other adapted to be(letachably con in every-pair bein adapted for connection H). in apuuthbuui'd the roiuliilmlioll with row ull1oul-lvrn'iiiials'i arrangedalongside of llwm. said terminals and parallel conductors connected tothe proper one of the bus-bars and the other side whereof-are connectedto I said parallel conductors.- I

11. Ina anel-board the-oombination with the board, Ens-bars and aremovable conductor; of a set of parallel conductors g and a row ofload-terminals 1' arranged alongside of them and adapted to be attachedto said removable conductor; means on each of said I parallelconductors. at a point approximately as near as can be to saidloacl-terminals for establishing connection with said removableconductor; a 1neter-terminal connected to each of said parallelconductors; and other load and meter terminals, companions to' the onesabove mentioned, properly connected to said bus-bars. 1

.In-witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two Wit-

